Lightning-arrester.



RJP. JACKSON & H. M. SCHEIBE.

\ LIGHTNING ARRBSTER. APPLIOATION FILED 001'. a, 1910.

1,031,796, Patented July 9,191.2.

WITNESSES: Q ZNVEugORS a 3 AT TOR NEY RAY 1?. JACKSON,

r GFIGE.

SF SWISSVALE, AND HAROLD M. SCHEIBE, Ol? VJILKINSBURG, PENN- SYLVAINIA,ASSIGNQRS T0 WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC AND MANUFACTURING COM- PANY, ACGRPORATION 0E IENNSYLVANIA.

mon'rnmsnnnns'rnn.

Specification of Letters Eatent.

Patented July 9, 1912.

Application filed fictober 8, 1910. Serial No. 5$6,080.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, BAY P. JACKSON and HAROLD M. SCHEIBE, citizens ofthe United States, and residents, respectively, of Swissvale andllillrinsburg, both in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsyl-Vania, have invented a new and useful Improvement inLightning-Arresters, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to protective devices and it has special referenceto devices known as horn-gap lightning air-rosters and comprising twoopposed rods'or bars of conducting material which are electricallyinsulated from each other and are close together at their lower ends anddiverge widely at their upper ends.

One of the objects of our invention is to provide a simple and durablelightning arrester of the class above indicated, the opposed parts ofwhich shall be so supported and constructed that the formation ofsuccessive electric arcs across the minimum air gap shall automaticallycause the members to be separated. and thereby interrupt such arcs.

A further object of our invention is to provide means for adjusting theminimum air gap betweenthe two members so that, under normal conditions,it shall exist-at a predetermined value, within relatively wide limits.

Lightning arresters of the horn type are particularly well adapted forthe protection of high-voltage transmission lines and for other outdoorservice on account of their simplicity and reliability, but, if they areused for relatively low voltages, the minimum air gap between theopposed members becomes very small and arcs are sometimes formed inrapid succession, each are rising to the upper ends of the horns, whereit is ruptured. In order to avoid the continuous recurrence of theaforesaid phenomena, we provideopposed members which correspond to'theusual horns, but, instead ofsupporting them near theminimum air gap, wesupport them near their upper extremities and construct them of stripsof unlike metals, or otherwise adapt them to be automatically separatedat their lower ends when they are heated. In order to enable thethermostatic members to return to the osition which the formerly occuiedafter the electric arcing which caused the heating of the members hasceased, we provide adjustable limiting devices, or stops, which preventthe members from coming so close together as to reduce the minimum airgap below thepredetermined value which is necessary to the protection ofthe circuit or apparatus with which the arrester is associated. J

The single figure of the accompanying drawing is an elevation of alightning arresterconstructed in accordance with our invention. v 7

Referring to the drawing, the device here shown comprises two similaropposed members 1 and 2 of conducting material which are relativelyclose together near their lower ends and diverge until they arematerially separated at their upper ends, supporting rods or bars 3 andl, line insulators 5 and 6, to which the parts 3 and 4 arerespectivelysecured, and stops or limiting members 7 andS.

The line insulators 5 and 6 may be supported in any suitable manner,being shown mounted on pins S} and 10 which are carried on a cross arm11, which, in turn, is

carried by a pole or post 12. The members 1 and 2 are composed of strapsor bars 13, preferably formed of iron,-and other straps or bars 14 ofbrass or other suitable con ducting material having a .diflerentco-etiicient of expansion from that of the parts 13 with which they areassociated. The parts 13 and 1a are welded or otherwise secured togetherto form the arcin members of the device and are bolted tov tl ie upperends of the supports 3 and 4: which extend vertically upward from theinsulators 5 and 6 and are bent over at their ends forthis purpose. v

The strips or oars 13 are bent into U shape at't-heir lower ends, .asindicated inthe drawing, so that projections 15 are provided to engageadjusting screws 16 0f the stops? ancl'8.

The stops or limiting devices are secured to thelupper ends of theinsulators and project toward each other, their inner ends being bent atright angles to project adjusting screws 16 are mounted in the ends otthe lim1ting strips to engage the propotions 15.- I

into the lower U shaped ends of the parts 13. The

If electric arcs are successively formed between the members 1 and 2,the thermostatic properties of the members will cause them to separate,thereby rendering it impossible for more arcs to be formed until thehorns have had time to cool and return to their original positions. Ifthen the cause of the disturbance which produces the first are formedhas disappeared, it is evident that the arrester is in condition toprotect the line when the next emergency arises.

\Ve claim as our invention:

L A lightning arrestercomprising a pair of initially and variably spaceddischarge electrodes that are inherently responsive to the heatgenerated "therein to eifectincreased separation thereof.

2. A lightning arrester comprising a pair of opposed diverging membersthe lower ends of which are relatively near together and supports fortheir upper ends, said opposed members embodying heat-responsive meansfor causing a separation of their lower ends.

3. A lightning arrester comprising electrically separated verticalsupports and a pair of opposed upwardly diverging thermo-responsivemembers having their upper ends secured to the upper ends of thevertical supports.

A lightning arrester comprising a pair insulating supports, verticalrods or bars secured thereto and extending upwardly therefrom, a pair ofopposed arcing members secured to the vertical rods at their upper endsand converging toward theirlower ends, Where they are relatively closetogether, said arcing members being composed of strips of unlike metals,whereby the heat produced by the formation of successsive arcs causesthe members to separate.

5. A lightning arrester comprising a pair of thermostatic hornssupported at their upper ends and stops at their lower ends for limitingthe minimum air gap between them to a predetermined value.

(3. A lightning arrester comprising apair of thermostatic hornssupported at their upper endsand adjustable stops at their lower endsfor limiting the minimum air gap betwen them to a predetermined value.

In testimony whereof, We have hereunto subscribed our names this 24thday of Sept. 1910. v

RAY r. JACKSON.

HAROLD M. SCHEIBE.

Witnesses R. J. DEARBORN, B. B. Hines.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissiimer of Patents,

Washington, 11. C.

